Saxophonist Greg Chambers is back in 2021. The new album is called No Looking Back, and it is the follow up to the 2018 release, A New Day.
This is a seven track effort, and guests include Adam Hawley, Nils, Eric Valentine, and Michael Fields Jr.
Let's see what's up here!
Review - 'No Looking Back' by Greg Chambers
Let's Dance kicks off the album. You will immediately notice the swing beat, and the sax play will keep your attention. We love the layered sax sound which gives us a little harmony. The change and the breakdown towards the end is a nice touch. You then have some ad-lib style play to close out the song. Adam Hawley produced and adds guitar to the track.
The title track, No Looking Back is next. Let's call this funk light. Everything is working here, the bass, keys, drums, and the guitar. The style of the song makes us curious on how this will sound live, with the drum riffs and that breakdown. We think that this song is meant to be heard live.
Chambers breaks it down with Come On Over. Mid-tempo groove, funky vibe, and the horn arrangement is tight, with the layered horns. There is also a nice guitar solo mid-way through the song. Chambers does his thing on this track.
The bassline is strong in It's Gonna Be Alright. Add to that a guest appearance on guitar by Nils, and you have a framework for a great track. Chambers is really feeling this groove, as he gives an inspired sax performance. We nominate this song as one of the singles.
If you are ready for a low jam, then Baja Breeze should take care of that need. In addition to the sax, you can hear that muted trumpet in the background. Sonically, these two instruments sound great together, so just add some guitar and some piano fills, and you have a hit song.
Bassist Michael Fields Jr. guests on Double Trouble. His presence is felt right away and throughout the song. Fields and Chambers go back and forth at times, and the sound is so rich, you feel like you are having a decadent dessert. Luckily, this dessert is non-fatty.
Night Vibe closes out the album. Once again Adam Hawley produces and plays on the track. The title is pretty descriptive, as the listener will feel a late night vibe as they take in all of the expert instrumentation. Eric Valentine brought his WHOLE drum kit to the session, as he is doing the damn thing on drums.
No Looking Back is an album that you will need to add to your sax playlist. Overall, the grooves are mid-tempo with a funk base, and the album is one that you can enjoy from start to finish. You can stream the album starting September 1st.